


getaway

by efrondeur



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beaches, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Ocean, based on art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 01:57:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9360473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/efrondeur/pseuds/efrondeur
Summary: Keith and Lance go on a getaway to the beach, only for Keith to fall in love with him all over again.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [jackalopes-vld](http://jackalopes-vld.tumblr.com/) for letting me write a fic to their [beautiful art!](http://jackalopes-vld.tumblr.com/post/155924758027/if-we-go-down-then-we-go-down-together)
> 
> Thanks to Mikiri for beta'ing this! Mikiri's [tumblr](http://mikiri.tumblr.com/) and [ao3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mikiri)

“C’mon, Keith!” yells Lance, anxiously moving around, trying to get a good look.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. I just gotta get the other chair. It’s,” Keith grunts, “stuck behind something.”

He hears Lance huff behind him. “Here, lemme do it,” says Lance. 

Lance bends down, torso disappearing into the car, and grabs the leg of the folded lawn chair. He carefully moves it, unhooking it from whatever it was caught on.

“There,” says Lance with a smile as he pulls it out. “Now let’s go.”

Keith smiles at the back of Lance’s head as he walks ahead of him.

Lance had been talking about taking a trip down to the beach for months, but they’d never had the time, what with college and jobs and all. But this week was the tipping point. 

This week had been pretty shitty for the both of them to say the least. Keith’s professor decided, after approving his thesis, that it “just wasn’t up to standard” and made him completely start over. And Lance had a test worth almost twenty-five percent of his history grade. When he came back to the apartment he was almost in tears - Keith didn’t ask, and Lance didn’t tell.

It’s suffice to say they both deserve this. You know those kinds of shitty weeks. Where everything slowly accumulates, so at the end you just go fuck it and treat yo’self the proper Parks and Rec style. 

So they had gotten a room at a sketchy motel - okay so maybe not Parks and Rec style, but more like college style - went out and filled the equally if not more sketchy fridge with food and a whole bunch of beer. 

The only downside was they had gotten in last night, so they couldn’t go to the beach right away like Lance had wanted - even though Keith was an avid proponent for sneaking in and skinny dipping, Lance didn’t want to go to jail on their first night.

Now, it’s just after noon, they just had lunch at some diner down the street, and they are going to treat themselves to some goddamn peace and relaxation. Well, as relaxed as Lance can ever be around the ocean.

He’s quickly learned that Lance can’t contain himself near water, their many apartment water-fights and subsequent complaints from their downstairs neighbors proof of that. It’s honestly kind of a mystery as to why they hadn’t been kicked out yet, but hey, Keith’s not complaining. 

Lance leads them down to the beach, chair under one arm and bag of supplies under the other. It’s already about eighty degrees out and still rapidly warming. The sun was bright and shining in the sky. Normally it would feel oppressive, but today it felt nice. He’s here on the beach with Lance, they have a shitload to do, but a pact not to think about any of it, and they’re here to do nothing.

The sand is hot on his feet, a welcome feel after nothing but the constant freezing cold tile of their motel room.

There’s screams of children as they play in the water, chatter from around the beach. It’s not necessarily crowded, but it’s definitely not deserted. 

Lance is stripping off his pants as he walks, leaving him in just his swim trunks and old lacrosse jersey. His flip flops are kicking up sand with each step, but he doesn’t seem to care.

It’s entirely possible that Keith made a huge mistake by wearing pants…. Whatever. Too late now.

Lance had tried to convince him to go swimming with him; Keith made up some lie that he didn’t like swimming but, in reality, his was terrified of the ocean. God knows what sort of demon spawn lived in there. Scientists haven’t even explored enough of it to prove that  _ Cthulhu  _ doesn’t live in there. There is no way Keith is going near that with a ten foot pole. Or twenty foot to be honest.

“Over here?” calls Lance, breaking Keith from his thoughts. He’s pointing to a spot that’s slightly shaded by some trees.

“Perfect!” calls Keith, making his way over.

Lance unfolds his chair, placing it in the shade. He puts the bag on the chair, pulling some cans out of it.

“What’d you bring?” asks Keith, setting his chair next to Lance’s

“Sunscreen, aloe for your pasty ass,” Keith laughs, “Face sunscreen, a couple hats, a ball, and floaties for you.”

“What?” sputters Keith.

“Kidding,” says Lance, throwing him a lopsided smile. Keith playfully pushes him on the shoulder.

“Y’know,” starts Lance, voice serious, “I won’t make fun of you or anything for not being able to swim or whatever. I’ll stay by you. Or I can teach you.”

“I know how to swim, Lance. I just don’t like the ocean, but you go enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

“But I don’t want to leave you alone, and… I don’t want to go in alone.”  Lance looks at the sand, digging his foot in it.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. The ocean has always been important in my family. We grew up next to it. We were  _ always _ in it, it was like… a way of life. I don’t know. Nevermind.”

You see, after two years. Keith likes to think he can read Lance like a book, but he has no fucking clue why this is bothering him.

Keith bites his lip. “How ‘bout this. I’ll go to the shore, roll my pants up, and you can go in? We can throw the ball around or something?”

Lance’s face lights up. “Deal!”

Pulling his hair up into a ponytail, the two head over to the shore. Lance runs into the ocean, falling on his face when the water gets too deep. Keith doubles over he's laughing so hard

They only toss the ball around for about half an hour. Lance disappeared under the surface for a bit at one point, and nearly gave Keith a heart attack. Keith was about to dive in to look for him when he popped up a couple feet in front of him, smug grin plastered across his face, scaring the shit out of Keith.

Lance laughed at first until he saw how genuinely upset Keith was. That’s when they called it quits and Lance apologized profusely, promising never to do it again. 

Afterwards, they went to the shack up the beach to get some nachos, which quickly devolved into a food war - not fight,  _ war. _ It started when Keith accidentally got some cheese on the tip of his nose. Lance offered to clean it up, picking up a napkin, only to dunk his finger in more cheese and spread it across the ridge of his nose.

Grabbing a chip, Keith smashed it in his hand and threw the crumbs into Lance’s hair, giggling - even though he’d later deny it - at Lance’s mock horror. 

To put a  _ very _ long story short. They were politely asked to act their age and went to go into the bathroom and clean up. It was somehow simultaneously embarrassing, hilarious, and ridiculous.

After that they took a nap in their chairs. The heat of the day lulling them to sleep as they held each other's hand. The last thing Keith remembers is Lance’s thumb brushing against his knuckles.

Keith wakes up sometime around dusk. There’s a few groups still on the beach, but most have left by now. Lance is next to him, watching the ocean. His face is slightly pinched, lost in thought. 

Keith watches him for a moment before the need to stretch out takes over. The shift breaks Lance out of his thoughts. 

“Morning, beautiful. Sleep well?” 

Keith hums; Lance lets out a breath of laughter.

Relaxing into his chair, Keith takes a deep breath. They sit in silence for a while, content to watch the ocean. At some point their hands seek each other out again.

It’s peaceful, serene. That is, until Lance flicks some sand up onto Keith with his foot. Keith shoots him a glare.

“Wanna build a sandcastle?” asks Lance.

“Sure.”

Lance gets up out of his chair, stretching his arms above his head, going up onto his toes. Keith sits back, enjoying the view with a smirk.

Lance scowls at him when he turns around, but is only able to hold it for a moment before smiling. He holds his hand out to Keith. “C’mon. Up you get.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Keith’s knees pop as Lance helps him stand. “I’m getting too old for this shit.”

“You’re twenty,” says Lance flatly.

“Too. Old.”

Lance pulls his old jersey back on when a small gust of wind blows past before heading back to the shore, motioning for Keith to follow.

Purposefully lagging behind him, Keith watches him. Watches the way his body starts to cover the sun, its rays spilling around him, simultaneously darkening and brightening the edges of his body.

Lance pauses about ten feet in front of Keith -  he does the same, watching, waiting.

Lance opens his arms out, torso stretching as he takes in a deep breath of air, head falling back, a lazy smile spread across his face. The pink, setting sun frames him beautifully. Amplifies the blue of his trunks. Darkens the bracelets around his wrist. Gives him a halo that could only ever fit an angel such as Lance. 

He looks ethereal. Like he doesn't even belong here, instead on some different plane of existence. Keith can’t believe he’s actually seeing this

Keith wants to grab his phone out of his pocket, but doesn’t. After all, nothing is as beautiful later. Nothing can ever compare to the memory or the sight. So he watches. Waits.

Lance’s baggy jersey is caught by the gentle wind, billowing ever so slightly around him. 

The waves lap at the shore ahead of him, carefully breaking the silence around them. The horizon is pink and orange with hints of red and yellow as the sun casts its final rays.

Any thoughts of a sandcastle slips his mind when Lance turns to him, lazy smile still splayed across his face. His eyes are soft and gentle. Teeth just showing past his lips.

Keith is falling in love all over again.

Lance turns back to the ocean, as if saying a goodbye. After all, they are heading back tonight.

A smile slowly spreads across Keith’s face. In the spur of the moment, he bounds towards Lance.

Sand kicks up behind him. He can feel some going into his pants and up his shirt, but he doesn’t care. 

He bends low, reaching his arms out in front of him. Hearing him at the last moment, Lance turns around. Seeing Keith, his eyes go wide, arms raising defensively. 

Keith swoops him up, one arm around his torso and one at the bend of his knees. He uses his momentum to swing Lance around as Lance’s arms come to wrap around his neck. 

Burying his head into Keith’s neck, he giggles. “Aw, babe, you’re so sappy.”

“You be quiet.”

Keith slows down, coming to a stop as they face away from the ocean, looking to where it’s final rays paint an array of colors over the beach and shack. On the cars on the roads passing by and the forest across the street. In the sky as the pink and orange moves to red and yellow to blue and purple.

Lance giggles again, loosening his grip around Keith’s neck. “Thank you so much for this,” he whispers.

“It was  _ our _ idea, Lance. You don’t have to thank me.” Keith shifts Lance in his arms, readjusting his weight.

“I know, but you still came with me.”

Keith nods. He didn’t, but he’d wanted to. He should be working on his thesis, but he’s not. He should be planning and researching, but why would he be anywhere but here with his boyfriend?

“I love you,” says Lance. 

Keith looks down at him; he’s staring up at Keith, gaze is fond. There’s a small smile gracing his lips. His face is smooth, no worry-lines or furrowed brows. He’s content. Happy. 

Good. Because Keith is too.

“I love you too,” says Keith.

Lance changes his grip on Keith, pulling himself up to face-level. Keith tightens his arm around Lance’s waist, hand slipping slightly as Lance’s tank top bunches up. 

Lance presses his lips against Keith’s, soft and chaste. Keith’s heart skips a beat before seemingly reaching out for Lance’s.

When they first pull apart, Lance makes a little breathy noise, which is both absolutely endearing and unfairly cute. Lance pulls him back in before Keith moves too far away.

Yeah. Keith is definitely falling in love with him all over again.

They stay like that for awhile. Keith holding him as they trading gentle kisses until Keith becomes too tired to keep holding Lance.

He pouts, but Keith reminds him. “You may be skinny as fuck, but you’re still taller than me. I can’t hold you forever.”

“You can try.”

Keith gives him an incredulous look, to which Lance throws his head back laughing. “Only kidding.”

“Are you?” asks Keith.

“No, not really. Best be gettin’ to the gym, buddy boy.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Would you prefer sugar plum?”

Keith rolls his eyes at him, knowing not to egg him on more. Lance smiles.

“C’mon, we gotta head back to the motel to get our things,” says Keith.

“Why,” whines Lance.

“Cause we both have class tomorrow,” says Keith in the same tone of voice. 

Lance sighs. “Yeah, I know. Could we have just, like, one more minute?”

“Yeah,” says Keith, voice growing soft. “Of course.”

They face the sunset, arms wrapped around each other’s waists. Lance’s head is resting on his shoulder. They watch as the the last bit of the sun sinks behind the horizon. Watch as the colors slip from the sky, following the sun on its journey. See the dark colors of space start to take over, stars peeking out everywhere.

Should they have their way, they would never leave. Never go back to school. Never deal with theses or history exams or anything that remotely involved college. They’d happily live on the beach for the rest of their lives. 

If only.

**Author's Note:**

> *****Do not steal the art in this fic, instead [reblog from the artist](http://jackalopes-vld.tumblr.com/post/155924758027/if-we-go-down-then-we-go-down-together)
> 
> Comments and criticisms are love!
> 
> feel free to gush with me about voltron on my [tumblr](http://shiros-eyes.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/thememewrites)


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